Samoan constitutional referendum, 1961

A constitutional referendum was held in Samoa on 9 May 1961.^[1] The constitution had been drawn up by a Constitutional Convention of Matai and associated groups. It was modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, but restricted both standing and voting in elections to the Matai.^[2] It was approved by voters (Matai and non-Matai) in a UN-supervised vote, with the country gaining independence on 1 January the following year.

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